University of Massachusets Athletics

Photo by: Chris Tucci - UMass Athletics
Women's Basketball Drops Heartbreaker To #13 Iowa State, 76-71, In The Gulf Coast Showcase Championships
November 28, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Breen and Philoxy receive All-Tournament Team honors.
ESTERO, Fla. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball came back from a 21-point deficit early in the third quarter to close the gap, but it was not enough as the Minutewomen fell, 76-71, to No. 13 Iowa State on Sunday night at Hertz Arena.
UMass moves to 7-1 on the season, while Iowa State improves to 7-0 on the year. Despite the loss, Massachusetts is still out to one of its best starts of the season since the 2006-07 season when the Minutewomen 8-1 to begin the year.
Sam Breen led the way with her fifth double-double of the season, tallying a team best 21 points and 12 rebounds, including 11 defensively. Breen also went 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Destiney Philoxy followed with 15 points of her own and had a team-high five assists, while Angelique Ngalakulondi collected 14 and Ber'Nyah Mayo earned 13 points.
Breen, Mayo and Philoxy all made three shots from behind the three-point arc, and Ngalakulondi made four of her five attempts from the charity stripe. Ngalakulondi and and Makennah White both grabbed six boards, with four on the offensive side for Ngalakulondi.
Massachusetts went 80.0 percent from the free throw line, making 12-of-15. UMass outscored Iowa State 32-24 with points in the paint, as well as in second chance points, notching 18 to the Cyclones 17. The two teams were even in rebounds with 37 apiece and each registered 10 turnovers.
An early 4-0 lead for Iowa State was answered with UMass' first three-pointer of the night by Mayo to make it a 4-3 game, before Philoxy made a three of her own to give the Minutewomen a 6-4 lead. The Cyclones came back, though, going on a 14-6 run to close out the first quarter to pull ahead, 18-12.
The second quarter saw Iowa State push to a 19-point lead, 43-24, before closing out the first half 45-27, an 18-point margin.
In the third quarter, the Cyclones hit a three to lead by 21 points, the largest of the game, at 48-27, but the Minutewomen went on a 10-0 run to get back within 11 points to make it a 48-37 contest. UMass made some noise with a 9-6 run, sinking four three-pointers in a row, two from Breen and one each from both Mayo and Philoxy, cutting the deficit to only six.
The Minutewomen entered the final frame down 62-53, before the two teams traded a pair of points. A made layup by Shavonne Smith and three from Breen brought UMass within four points. Two made free throws by Iowa State extended its lead 66-60. Philoxy drained a shot from behind the arc at the 02:59 mark in the quarter to narrow Iowa State's lead to only one point, making it 69-68, but the Cyclones answered back with a three-pointer, pulling ahead 72-68.
A basket from the charity stripe by Philoxy and a layup by Mayo added to UMass' total, while two pairs of free throws for the Cyclones increased their total to the final score of the game.
At the conclusion of the match up, both Breen and Philoxy were named to the 2021 Gulf Coast Showcase All-Tournament Team.
Massachusetts returns to the Mullins Center for the first of a three-game home stretch on Wednesday, December 1, to face Fairfield University at 7 p.m., on NESN/NESN+.
UMass moves to 7-1 on the season, while Iowa State improves to 7-0 on the year. Despite the loss, Massachusetts is still out to one of its best starts of the season since the 2006-07 season when the Minutewomen 8-1 to begin the year.
Sam Breen led the way with her fifth double-double of the season, tallying a team best 21 points and 12 rebounds, including 11 defensively. Breen also went 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Destiney Philoxy followed with 15 points of her own and had a team-high five assists, while Angelique Ngalakulondi collected 14 and Ber'Nyah Mayo earned 13 points.
Breen, Mayo and Philoxy all made three shots from behind the three-point arc, and Ngalakulondi made four of her five attempts from the charity stripe. Ngalakulondi and and Makennah White both grabbed six boards, with four on the offensive side for Ngalakulondi.
Massachusetts went 80.0 percent from the free throw line, making 12-of-15. UMass outscored Iowa State 32-24 with points in the paint, as well as in second chance points, notching 18 to the Cyclones 17. The two teams were even in rebounds with 37 apiece and each registered 10 turnovers.
An early 4-0 lead for Iowa State was answered with UMass' first three-pointer of the night by Mayo to make it a 4-3 game, before Philoxy made a three of her own to give the Minutewomen a 6-4 lead. The Cyclones came back, though, going on a 14-6 run to close out the first quarter to pull ahead, 18-12.
The second quarter saw Iowa State push to a 19-point lead, 43-24, before closing out the first half 45-27, an 18-point margin.
In the third quarter, the Cyclones hit a three to lead by 21 points, the largest of the game, at 48-27, but the Minutewomen went on a 10-0 run to get back within 11 points to make it a 48-37 contest. UMass made some noise with a 9-6 run, sinking four three-pointers in a row, two from Breen and one each from both Mayo and Philoxy, cutting the deficit to only six.
The Minutewomen entered the final frame down 62-53, before the two teams traded a pair of points. A made layup by Shavonne Smith and three from Breen brought UMass within four points. Two made free throws by Iowa State extended its lead 66-60. Philoxy drained a shot from behind the arc at the 02:59 mark in the quarter to narrow Iowa State's lead to only one point, making it 69-68, but the Cyclones answered back with a three-pointer, pulling ahead 72-68.
A basket from the charity stripe by Philoxy and a layup by Mayo added to UMass' total, while two pairs of free throws for the Cyclones increased their total to the final score of the game.
At the conclusion of the match up, both Breen and Philoxy were named to the 2021 Gulf Coast Showcase All-Tournament Team.
Massachusetts returns to the Mullins Center for the first of a three-game home stretch on Wednesday, December 1, to face Fairfield University at 7 p.m., on NESN/NESN+.
Team Stats
IowaSt
UMass
FG%
.373
.385
3FG%
.324
.346
FT%
.875
.800
RB
37
37
TO
10
10
STL
3
3
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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